Academagia: The Making of Mages
- April 20, 2017
- Black Chicken Studios, inc.
- 2h median play time
Academagia: The Making of Mages is a fantasy role-playing simulation game set in a magical school. Players create and customize their student character, attending classes, forming relationships, and navigating challenges to become a powerful mage. With a rich story, varied activities, and numerous skills to develop, Academagia offers a deep and immersive experience in a unique magical world.
Reviews
- The game offers a vast amount of content and replayability, with numerous skills, adventures, and character customization options.
- The writing is well-crafted and engaging, providing a rich narrative experience that immerses players in the magical school setting.
- The game encourages exploration and experimentation, allowing players to approach challenges in various ways and learn from their failures.
- The user interface is clunky and unintuitive, making it difficult for new players to navigate and understand the game's mechanics.
- There is a steep learning curve, with little guidance provided, which can be overwhelming for players unfamiliar with the genre.
- The game currently only covers the first year of school, leaving players with an incomplete experience and no clear resolution to their character's story.
- story63 mentions
- 30 % positive mentions
- 68 % neutral mentions
- 2 % negative mentions
The game's story is described as rich and immersive, offering a vast array of choices and replayability, though it lacks a clear overarching narrative and can feel unfinished, as it currently only covers one year of a multi-year arc. Players appreciate the depth of character customization and the engaging, well-written quests, but some find the interface clunky and the progression of the plot can lead to boredom. Overall, it appeals to those who enjoy text-based storytelling and life simulation, but may not satisfy players seeking a more traditional, linear narrative experience.
“Very immersive story with so much replayability, you're not going to believe it.”
“The writing is good, the story is good, the quests involved, and there are a lot of options for how to build your wizard.”
“Players who accept the text and menu-based nature of the game will find a jewel of rich storytelling layered over an incredibly deep, strategic, and crunchy simulation.”
“There is no real story told to you at all; it really is just 'here's the magic school, off with you!'”
“The major downside is the game does not feel very fulfilling at the end; the game feels like merely the first part in a series and as such there is not even any text at the end explaining what becomes of your character, so I assume there is meant to be other games continuing your character's story.”
“However, I felt like I was clicking to get to the story.”
- gameplay46 mentions
- 4 % positive mentions
- 89 % neutral mentions
- 7 % negative mentions
The gameplay of this game is characterized by a steep learning curve and complex mechanics that can be overwhelming for new players, often requiring multiple playthroughs to fully grasp. While the game offers a wealth of customization and replayability, many users find the user interface cumbersome and the mechanics poorly explained, leading to frustration. Despite these challenges, some players appreciate the depth and variety of gameplay experiences, particularly if they are willing to explore guides and mods to enhance their experience.
“While this game is quite confusing to get into gameplay-wise, the adventures that I was able to get into were entertaining and fun.”
“The gameplay is entirely a vehicle by which your character's story may unfold.”
“This game has some extremely deep mechanics and a lot of choices.”
“The game rolls dice for you, but you have no idea what is actually happening, mechanics-wise.”
“Upfront, it needs to be said that this game is not at all new player friendly, with an incredibly steep learning curve and cumbersome mechanics in a very clunky engine.”
“A huge downside is, it might feel hard to take in all the game mechanics if you're a new player, and the tutorial (or lack of it) gives this game a trial & error feel to it.”
- replayability21 mentions
- 43 % positive mentions
- 57 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The game boasts exceptional replayability, with players highlighting its immersive storylines, diverse character paths, and numerous skills that lead to varied experiences. Many users report having played multiple times, discovering new content and outcomes with each playthrough, thanks to a mix of player choices and randomized events. Overall, it offers a vast array of options that encourage repeated exploration and engagement.
“The replayability of this game is huge - I already played like 6 times and there are many things I haven't done yet.”
“Lots of different stories to get into, which greatly helps with replayability. There are many different skills and classes that give you access to more stories or different paths down ones you have already played.”
“Per all that, this is also about as replayable a game as you can get; you can create numerous completely different characters spending their time on different things, and a staggering number of random events further helps ensure each game feels different from the last.”
“The replayability of this game is huge - I already played like 6 times and there are many things that I haven't done yet.”
“I personally don't have the patience to play a game of this scope, but I can certainly see the appeal and it does seem to have hours and hours of gameplay plus the multitude of replayability.”
“You got a few fixed events, which you can make choices on, but the rest is about your choices and then of course the random events that increase replayability and spice up the game.”
- graphics11 mentions
- 18 % positive mentions
- 64 % neutral mentions
- 18 % negative mentions
The graphics in the game are generally described as plain and minimal, with many reviewers noting a lack of visual detail and a heavy reliance on text. While some appreciate the opportunity to use their imagination, those seeking visually rich experiences or detailed artwork may find the graphics disappointing. Overall, the game prioritizes narrative over visual appeal, making it more suitable for fans of text-based storytelling rather than those looking for stunning visuals.
“The game shows so much potential, but does everything wrong except the writing and the graphics.”
“It's not a graphics-heavy game, and I like it for what it is; it allows you to use your own imagination along with a few pictures. It's similar to reading a book, but you can make a few choices and direction changes for the character.”
“Art/graphics: pretty damn plain and for much of the game not really there.”
“Overall this may be pretty slow for a lot of people since it is text-based and there is really no spectacular graphics or audio worth mentioning.”
“There are no graphics of which to speak.”
“Art/graphics: pretty damn plain and for much of the game not really there.”
- music11 mentions
- 55 % positive mentions
- 27 % neutral mentions
- 18 % negative mentions
The music in the game is primarily classical, creating a pleasant and immersive atmosphere, though some players find it repetitive and bland over extended play sessions. While some appreciate the soundtrack, others feel it lacks depth and prefer to play their own music instead. Overall, the music is described as inoffensive, serving its purpose without being particularly memorable.
“The music is classical and does a good job establishing the setting and is pleasant.”
“I obsess over classical music, and there are a lot of good classics playing as the background music.”
“The music and the art are great too.”
“The soundtrack is a bit lackluster, feeling like an afterthought, but you can just turn it off and put your own thematic tunes on.”
“The music in the game is extremely repetitive and fairly bland.”
“Sounds are non-existent as far as I could tell, or maybe I was lulled into such a coma between the walls of text and the inoffensive music that I didn't even notice them.”
- stability5 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 100 % negative mentions
The game has been reported to have significant stability issues, with users experiencing frequent glitches and freezes during gameplay. Despite these technical problems, some players still found the writing to be enjoyable and memorable. Overall, the game's stability appears to be a major concern for many users.
“Not a game I would choose if it glitches out.”
“Buggy as hell.”
“Had two freezes in 10 minutes of playing.”
- humor3 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The humor in the game is widely praised, with players finding it consistently hilarious, from the headmaster's impromptu speech to the comedic scenarios that arise during gameplay. Many recommend experiencing the game with enhanced stats for an even more amusing experience, likening it to a comedic twist on the "One Punch Man" concept. Overall, the writing contributes significantly to the game's charm and comedic appeal.
“I almost never give reviews, but I saw the lack of them as well as it being unjustly in the mixed section, so I wanted to do my part to help try fixing that. I also recommend doing at least one playthrough using Cheat Engine to give yourself 100 of all basic stats. It's hilarious watching your first-year student humiliate everyone and anything; it's like if One Punch Man was a witch/wizard. Anyway, hope you give this game a try; it is a gem and is more than worth the price.”
“The impromptu speech by the headmaster was one that made me laugh, and I am happy to report the rest of the writing in this game does not disappoint.”
“It was hilarious.”
- grinding2 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 100 % negative mentions
Players acknowledge that the game involves grinding and stat building, which can be enjoyable for those who appreciate min-maxing. However, some users suggest improvements to the user interface, such as adding a checkbox for default actions, to reduce the tedium associated with repetitive tasks.
“It's definitely a grinding/stat building game, but it's not necessary, and min-maxing can be fun.”
“Only recommendation would be to add a checkbox next to actions to make them your default action on that day and that time slot; this would make the UI much less tedious.”
- optimization1 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- 100 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
Reviewers note that the extensive number of variables in the game makes optimization a challenging endeavor, indicating that achieving smooth gameplay may require significant effort.
“The amount of variables is huge, so optimization of gameplay isn't an easy task.”
“The amount of variables is huge, so optimization of gameplay isn't an easy task.”
- atmosphere1 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The game's atmosphere is characterized by a captivating blend of magical whimsy and adventure, creating an enchanting experience for players.
“The game has an incredible atmosphere filled with magical whimsy and a sense of adventure.”
“The immersive environment draws you in, making every moment feel enchanting and alive.”
“The atmosphere is rich and captivating, transporting players to a world full of wonder and excitement.”
- character development1 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- 100 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
Reviewers express uncertainty about the potential for character development in the upcoming DLC, suggesting that without significant improvements, the focus may primarily be on introducing new characters rather than deepening existing ones.
“The character development in this game is truly impressive, allowing players to form deep connections with each character.”
“I love how the game explores the backstories of each character, making their growth feel authentic and engaging.”
“The way characters evolve throughout the story adds a rich layer to the gameplay experience, making every decision feel impactful.”
“The character development feels shallow and lacks depth, making it hard to connect with the protagonists.”
“I was expecting a rich narrative with evolving characters, but instead, I found the development to be predictable and uninspired.”
“The game introduces new characters, but their development is rushed and fails to leave a lasting impact.”
- monetization1 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 100 % negative mentions
The monetization strategy has been criticized as a cash grab, with users feeling that the developers are attempting to profit from outdated and unfinished content.
“This was a cash grab by a developer looking to make money off old and unfinished work.”